บท 76: Chapter 76

“Wills…” But what could I have said?

“The couch was some neutral color. It looked expensive, but it didn’t look very comfortable. On the wall behind him was a painting in oils of the two of us in our caps and gowns. I recognized the way we were posed. You’ve seen the picture.”

“The one above the mantel in the family room in Cambridge?”

“Yeah, that’s it. Dad had taken it, and Michael must have asked him for a copy and had the painting made from it. I never thought…” He blew out a breath. “Anyway, the Michael on the tape stared into the camcorder’s lens, and it was like he was looking into my eyes. Something was wrong. Usually he was so cocksure, I wanted to kick his ass, but this time—He looked awful, Theo. His face was gray, and from time to time his knuckles would turn white as if he were trying to contain pain. He had cancer, he told me…prostate cancer. He was dying.”

“Oh, babe. I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you.”

“But isn’t that an older man’s disease?”